Emergency incident response time

Why is this important?

Emergency incident response time is defined as the amount of time it takes for the Fire Department to respond after being notified of an emergency. The goal is to minimize system wide response times to increase the likelihood for positive fire suppression outcomes and minimize property damage, injuries and loss of lives. This measure helps the department determine operational efficiency. For this measure, response times are reported in minutes and are broken down by “In Loop,” referring to addresses within Loop 820, and “Outside Loop,” which refers to addresses outside of Loop 820 and thus farther from the central city.

Performance Analysis

Response times are trending higher for all categories (citywide, inside loop and outside loop). The increased response times are a product of various factors, including inefficient station configurations, the need for more resources (for example, fire stations or personnel), increased construction and road closures, high population growth areas, expanded city boundaries, and limited unit availability due to other emergency incidents. The 2015 Bond Program includes funding for two new fire stations (Station 42 and Station 43), which are expected help alleviate high responses times in the far south and far west areas of Fort Worth.